Dial tip for automatic telephones



Oct. 21,

FIG6

w. J. LUSTIG DIAL TIP FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONES Filed Jan. 20, 1955 v INVENTOR. WILLIAM J. LUSTIG United States Patent ,3 cc

DIAL. TIP FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONES William J. Lustig, Springfield, Ohio Application January 20, 1955, Serial No. 483,155

8 Claims. (Cl. 179-90) This invention relates to dialer means for removably supporting on a dial plate of an'automatic telephone a useful implement such as a pencil, pen, flashlight, and similar articles.

A primary object of the invention is .to provide dialer means which is adapted-to securely butremovably support a useful implement on the telephone by engaging I the outer face of the usual movable dial plate in and around an opening of the plate. The dialer means and the implement when the telephone dial plate is not in use are conveniently mounted and readily accessible to a person making or receiving a call.

An important object of the invention is to provide automatic telephone. dialer means having a novel structural arrangement.

Another object of the invention is to provide dialer means having a structural arrangement rendering the means particularly useful for the support of implements on automatic telephone dial plates.

A particular object of the invention is to describeinovel combinations of dialer means and implements.

These and other. allied objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of t the dialer means with an automatic telephone'to support a pencil;

' Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the dialer means of the structure of Figure 1;

invention;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the dialer means in combination with a flashlight;

Figure 5 is an end'view of the structure of Figure 4; and

Figure. 6 is an elevational view partially in section of the dialer means in combination with an implement hav-' ing a retractable point.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the indicia-carrying dial of an automatic telephone; a member 3 rotatable with respect to the dial has secured thereto a dial plate 5. The dial plate is provided with the usual finger openings 7.

Indicated at 9 is a generally cylindrical dialer means which is self-supported within an opening 7 and which dialer means support the pencil 11.

The dialer meansin its preferred embodiment is of a molded one-piece plastic construction, but may be of any other suitable material as metal or wood. For employment in conjunction with a flashlight a methylmethacrylate plastic such as Lucite or Plexiglas has been- The extension 14'at its upper plate-engaging portion which 'is adapted to pass through a finger opening 7 and to contact the plate at the open mg as shown when the dialer is not in use. The taper of the extension permits the dialer device to be readily rem'ovedfrom one opening and to be inserted in another when a number is being dialed.

a seat for the implement being indicated at 20; the axis of the dialer which is generally cylindrical is shown by flashlight casing 23 is provided with a suitable snap.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the dialer means of the numeral 21. As indicated in Figures 1 and 2 the implement 11 is securely supportable withinvthe'aperture of the body and the implement and dialer means are conveniently mounted on the phone for use.

It is to be particularly noted that I- have provided the dialer device in such manner that the lip 13 and face 15 lie in substantially parallel planes and that these planes, when the device is mounted on the phone, ex-

tend, respectively, with the planes of the dial plate 5 and dial or dial face 1. Further the planes ofthe lip and face are at an angle with the axis 21 such that an switch 25 and a cap 26 at one end of the assembly which cap may support an implement 27, for example. 1

The dialing means 29 at the other end of the flashlight is most suitably of a translucent material such as a methacrylate plastic to provide diffused light l-aterally.v An opening 31 in the angled face provides 'foran intense;. light from bulb 32 downwardly to facilitate inspection;

of the numerals of the dial face ofthe telephone."

The implement-receiving aperture of the body of the dialing means is provided at 33 with aninternal thread; a metallic ring 35 engages the end of the dialer t o;pro,-: tect it from wear and the ring itself engages an exter nally threaded sleeve 37 threadedly secured in the cas-.

ing 23.

The bulb 32 has the usual flashlight bulb contact which engages a contact of the battery 34 of the flashlight in A spring 38 engages between. the bulb and battery retaining the-same positioned; actu the customary manner.

ation of switch 25 causes the battery to engage the bulb. With the above construction the bulb 32 is for replacement.

which is equipped with a plunger head.

For actuation of the plunger the dialing means 39 has a molded integrally therewith an inward protuberance 41; which upon depression by a thumb contacts the plunger. VT; 43 of v the implement 45 to cause actuationof thepoint of theimplement in the usual manner. Such-arrange ment is particularly useful in conjunction with pencils and ball point pens and the normal operation of the dialer means is unaffected.

In Figure 6 the angled lip is indicated at 13' and the angled face at 15'. Preferably the implement 45 is permanently attached to the dialing means 39; for this purpose I have found that it is desirable to apply a light coating of an adhesive of uncured plastic, most suitably of the material which forms the dialer, to the end of the implement and to cure the dialer directly thereto,

Patented Oct. 21, 1958 end 17 provides adial,

removable 'I havefurther found'that with the telephone dial plates presently in use an implement about 3" long and '95 to inch in cross-section may be suitably supported on a dialer device having an overall width of and a height'of Usually the diameter ofthe'extension 14at its plate-engaging'portion 17 is about a1s'o.

' Thus I have provided 'an arrangement which permits an implement-such as a flashlight, pen or pencil, or both, to be conveniently at hand -to a telephone where the same is frequently required. 0f particular importance in this connection is'the structure of Figure 4 for the brief notations made during a telephone call may be readily made without'res'ortto lighting other than that provided by the flashlight.

Further, the dialing device and implement are sowell supported that the telephone (Figure 1) may be tilted such that the dial and-dial plate are vertical and'th'e combination of dial devicea'nd implementwill not be dislodged. I

While I prefer to-removably mount the implementin an aperture-of the dialer I contemplate also thatthe'implement may be molded integrally therewith if'so desired; further the implement may be carried on the dialer as on the 'outer surface or the-body portion 12.

It will be understood tha't this invention is susceptible to modification in order to-adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly it is desired to comprehend such modifications within invention.

as may fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for removably supporting on 'a dial'plate of an automatic telephone instrument at an opening thereof an implement, comprising a body adapted'toengage the'outer face of the dial plate around the opening thereof, and a narrowed extension of thebodyfadapt ed to pass throughthe opening, said extension having a dial'plate-engaging portion adjacent the body and being tapered downwardly from the body and the dial-plate engagingportion, and said body having implement receiving means at the end thereof opposite the extension.

2'. Meansfor removably supporting on a dial plate of an automatic telephoneinstrument at an opening tothe dialthereof an-implement,' comprising a cap-like body having a lip adapted to'enga'ge the outer face of tlfe dial plate around-the opening thereof and a narrowed "extension of the body adapted to pass through the 'opening, said; extension having a dial plate-engaging portion adjacentthebody and aj dial-enga'ging face at its lower end, and said body having an implement-receiving aperture in the end thereof opposite the extension.

3; Means for removably supporting on a dial plate of an automatic telephone instrument at an opening thereof an implement, comprising a cap-like body having alip adapted to engage the outer face of the dial plate aroundthe opening thereof 'anda narrowed extension of the 'bo'dyadapt ed "to pass through the opening,-s'aid'ex-' tension' 'having a 'dialplate enga'ging portion adjacent the bodyfand a dial-engaging faceat its lower end lying ina plane parallel to that of said lip, and said body hav a}; the finger opening and to engage the outer face of the dial plate, a narrowed downward extension of the body adapted to pass through the opening and to engage a portion of the plate defining the opening in a supported position of the device, the extension having a length sufficient such that the lower face thereof frictionally engages the dial in the self-supported position of the device, and the free face and lip of the body lying in parallel planes, said-planes being angular to the longitudinal axis of the body, the device having implement-receiving means on the endopposite the extension.

5. Means for removably supporting on a dialplate of an automatictelephone instnmient atan opening thereof a flashlight, comprising a'translucent body adapted to engage the outer face of the dial plate around the opening thereof, and a narrowed extension of the body adapted to pass through the opening,, said extension 1 being hollow and adapted to receive a bulb of a flashlightthe'rein, said extension also having a dial plate-engaging 'por'tion adjacent the body, and "said body having opposite the extension, a lower free face of said-extensionhaving 'an openingth'ereth'rough for "the pas'sage of lightfrom the bulb. 2

6.-Means-"for removably supporting:on a dial "plate of an automatic telephone instrument at an opening thereofa plunger'type implement, comprising a ca'p like" body of a resilient material adapted to'engage the outer face of the"dialplate around the opening *thereof, and a narrowed extension of the body adapted to passthmugh the opening, saidbody'being hollow and adaptedto re-y H ceive aplunger-of the'im'plement, saidfextension "also having a dial plate-engaging portion adjacenbthefbody atone end and an inward protuberance on the other'end adapted to engage with a plunger upon compression of the extension, and -said'body'having an'implement-receiving aperture in the end thereof'opposite "the ex-l tension.

7. The combination of a flashlight and a dialing'device foruse on adia'l'plate of an automatictelephone, the

dialing "device being of a translucenrmaterial and surrounding the bulb of the flashlight'and being formed to be self-supported in a finger opening of the dial'plate,

saiddevice having 'afa'ce engageable with thej'dial' of,

thephone.

8. Dialer means supportable on a .dial plateof 211;-

automatic telephone instrument at anfopen'ing 'fto the dial thereof comprising a body having adipadaptedto engage'the outer face of the dial plate around thelopen ing thereof, and a narrowed extension of the body adapt ed to'pass through the opening saidextensionhaving a dial plate-engagingportionadjacent'the body and 'a lower free face,'the'1ip of the body and face oftheex-' tension being intsubstantially paralleLplanes, said body having a longitudinalzaxis and, the planes ofsaid face and lip being disposed angularly to said axis. M

References-Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smillie a May 14,1929 

